UP man kills grand nephew on tantrik’s advice, dismembers body and scatters parts

A 17-year-old boy, Piyush, was murdered by his grand uncle, Sharan Singh, who allegedly acted on the advice of a tantrik, police said on Thursday. The accused severed the boy’s head and torso and disposed of the body parts in separate locations across the city.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Bharti said Sharan Singh, brother of Piyush’s grandfather, was arrested from the Kareli area on Wednesday night. “During interrogation, Sharan confessed to the murder of his grand-nephew, Piyush, and explained his motive,” the DCP said.

Sharan’s son and daughter had committed suicide in 2023 and 2024. In his grief, Sharan consulted a tantrik who allegedly told him that Piyush’s life had prevented his own children’s deaths and advised him to kill the boy, police said.

Piyush, a Class 11 student at Saraswati Vidya Mandir, was reported missing on Tuesday after leaving for school. His mother, Kamini Devi, filed a missing person report when he did not return. Police first recovered a torso in a drain in the Naini industrial area, and Piyush’s head was later found in Saidpur Kachhar, leading to identification.

A local woman reported seeing a man on a scooter throw a bundle into a drain. Police confirmed that the description matched Sharan. He admitted to dismembering the body, wrapping the torso in a sari, and transporting it to dump near Kuria Lawayan village. Sharan is in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.